Alfasud engine sizes

[JHertzman@domain.elided]

David Johnson wonders about Alfasud engine sizes, and distribution through 
various markets:

"Perhaps what I saw was a 1.2, an engine size available only on the earlier 
'Sud models in the UK.  Alfa may have continued to supply the smallest 
displacement to Greece and other countries with a demand for it (I wonder if 
this is supported by Fusi or d'Amico-Tabucchi?).  However, in the UK the 
choice of models moved to 1.3 and 1.5 (plus single or twin carb variations) 
at some point.  I think the 1.7 and 4-valve-per-cylinder versions of the 
boxer motor were not available until the Sud was out of production, and were 
options in the 33,

Fusi ends as the Alfasud begins- the car first shown at Turin in November 
1971, and launched in June 1972, a brake booster added in June 1973, five 
speed box in October 1973, the Giardinetta added in June 1975, the 1286 cc 
engine mentioned with the introduction of the Sprint in September 1976. Thus 
endeth Fusi's coverage.

I started, out of curiosity, to try to figure out the details and 
applications of the (at least) nine different Alfasud engine permutations in 
d'Amico-Tabucchi, but got bogged down in discrepancies between the text 
descriptions and the specifications tables. However it does seem clear that 
the 1186 cc engine was in production at least from June 1972 to some point in 
1983 if not later. The 1286 cc engines were introduced in 1976 and both the 
1351 and 1490 cc engines  in 1978, so all four sizes were available 
concurrently.

I assume that viability in the home market was the primary reason for 
continuing to manufacture the smaller engines, as it seems to have been for 
other models; The 105 Spiders and coupes were built with 1.3, 1.6,  and 2 
liter engines to he end, and the 75 with 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 engines 
as well as diesels. Alfa would have had no reason to discontinue the smaller 
engines if somebody, someplace, wanted them, and the home market seems the 
basic one. The strength of the 1.2 liter market is borne out by the 
production figures; here again there are some ambiguities but it seems that 
there were roughly 550,000 1.2s, 300,000 1.3s, and 200,000 1.5s.

My understanding is that what was offered in export markets, whether the UK, 
USA, Greece, or anyplace else was determined not by Milan but by the local 
importer. If Alfa GB decided that the 1186 was not competitive against the 
local products and other imports, Alfa GB didn't buy them. If ARI in the US 
decided that the 1.6 and 1.8 Alfettas wouldn't sell here, they prevailed upon 
Milan to build two-liter Alfetta which were not available in the home market. 
Greece may well have been hospitable to the 1186 engine long after they 
disappeared from the UK. 

Cordially,

John H. 

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